Tragic Lives
by evergrnterrace
Summary: Kyouya/Haruhi. A three part story converted into 3 chapters. Complete. A/U mild spoilers for Chapters 8/9 and Episode 8.
1. Chapter 1 Tragic Beginnings

**Part I; Tragic Beginnings**

_"I can see the sun setting, it's casting shadows on the sea…."_

She has an incredible understanding of people, she always has. But most of what she has learned was from her days in the Host Club. The day she said her farewells to the club was one of the most painful in her life. But they all had their own paths to take and she had worked far too long and hard to waste any time now.

When the invitation comes from the Ootori family, she nearly declines, knowing what's coming. Instead, since that is the way she is, she accepts and plans to put on her best dress and smile. When she arrives she is slightly shocked to find that it isn't an engagement party, but instead a birthday celebration for Kyouya. She should have known; he always was the most difficult one to gauge. His intended-to-be is at his side for a majority of the night. She is a beautiful girl with all of the right smiles and the perfect poise. She suits him well, Haruhi thinks as she turns in the direction of the balcony.

Towards the end of the party, Kyouya's maid informs her that her quarters will be the same as usual. She will be welcome to stay, and she walks back into the house and disappears into what's left of the crowd. With a sigh, Haruhi realizes that she most likely will be staying, as it's now quite a long drive back to her apartment. She takes one last deep breath of the garden scented air and turns to prepare herself for bed.

After washing her face, brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas she finally crawls onto the bed. A knock on the door startles her and she gets up to answer when she hears his voice.

"Haruhi?" is all he says, but she knows it is him. So she invites him in and perches herself on the edge of the mattress. As he walks up to her, she sees that he has had a bit too much to drink. There are dark circles under his eyes, a slight sway to his usually graceful step, a small downwards tug to his normally smirking lips. And a quaint sadness that didn't suit him in the least.

She notices that there is something hidden behind the slightly dulled eyes and stands to question him. But he takes the last two steps in one stride and grabs her wrists. As he is twirling her around and the sheets are tossed to the side, she remembers a time many years ago and would have smiled if not for that look on his face. He slams her wrists onto the bed, splayed above her and leans in close. She can smell a hint of sake on his breath and his eyes are glistening when he speaks. "You were wrong." He chokes out, voice husky with emotion and cracking from the force of his words. "There would be so much more than mere merit." When her eyes widen in understanding, he averts his gaze to her mouth, waiting for her to speak.


	2. Chapter 2 Tragic Hearts

**Part II; Tragic Hearts**

_"A coma might feel better… than this."_

She couldn't move. This wasn't entirely terrible, but it was a bit problematic. So she looks into his eyes, feels the press of his hands against her wrists, the softness of his breath on her face. His gaze is on her lips and she can't for the life of her figure out _why_. So she continues to watch the flood of emotions that go through his usually silent eyes. And she wonders what could have happened to release such a strong damn. Why he would say such an absurd thing after all of these years.

He can't pull his gaze from her mouth. The soft pink plumpness that is opening on a question she will undoubtedly ask. He wants to see her eyes, but finds that he is afraid of what they'll say. She always had that way about her, entirely unshielded in the ways of her emotions. She will no doubt be confused, trying to calculate his next move and figure out why he appears to be crumbling. He doesn't think he can handle her innocent honesty at this point. So he closes his eyes and releases his hold on her.

She nearly cries out her loss when his eyes shut and he pulls away, startling herself out of something she doesn't understand. She wants to ask him, wants to know exactly what he's doing to her, what is hurting him so much. In her mind, the two things don't connect. She cannot form the words that should have easily been out of her mouth by now. So she does what feels the most logical; she reaches out a hand, almost hesitant, and grabs his bare shoulder.

He is watching her face when she reaches for him, pulls him closer. He's astonished at what he sees, but can't grasp the actual meaning. His face is pulled taut and his throat begins to ache. He touches his knuckle to her jaw and is startled when she leans into the touch, like she'd been needing this her entire life. His heart feels ready to explode, or shatter. He pulls his hand away, again, and raises himself from the bed. He's facing her, his face feels strange, and that cannot possibly be _his_ voice telling her that he's sorry, he's so very sorry. That can't be his legs beginning to walk away from Haruhi. The only person aside from Tamaki to see his as he was; as a person. As a man.

Before he has the chance to turn and walk away she's flying through the air. Her arms wrap around his neck and her face is thumping into the curve of his throat and shoulder. He feels a wetness that can only be tears and _why is his brain so damned fuzzy??_ He can't think through any of this, his calculations were entirely off balance and she shouldn't be iholding/i him like he's the only thing in the world keeping her afloat.

He feels more than he hears her question. A simple "Why?" that shouldn't feel as complicated as it did. It rattles him to his core and was life always this unsettling? He couldn't remember ever feeling so broken. He can't find the words for her, so he wraps his arms around her, rests his cheek atop her head and the tension is gone. He is having trouble breathing and he can't contain the thoughts that are spiraling through his head. His mouth opens and he simply cannot believe what is pouring from his lips. He _really_ cannot be saying these things to her, things he's kept well hidden for nearly a decade now.

His pulse is beating beneath her lips, his heart is trying to come out of his chest, and she doesn't recognize them as words when he first starts to speak.

"I love you. I've loved you since we were kids. I had no idea what it was at that time, but I don't regret an instant of the time we had. I can't breathe properly when you aren't around. The colors all blend together, the air tastes stale, my chest feels… Empty." He's going on and on like he has needed to say this for a long time. Her eyes are widening and she feels a weight on her chest. It's nearly suffocating her. She feels like loosing a tangled scream, yet can't work up the energy to do so. Her entire body seems to have lost the will to function, her brain has gone muddled, her eyes are wet as an ocean and she can't say a single word. How can he say such things? He was engaged to a wonderful girl and she had decided long ago that none of the host club could settle for a woman as simple as she. She had closed her heart off to the possibility of any of them ever loving her romantically, most especially _him_. And he just couldn't be saying these things, not when it hurt so much. Not when she felt like she could die from the horrible pain she was feeling. The loss of something she'd never even had hurt more than anything she'd ever felt before in her life.

"Why?" she asks again. She asks because she has nothing else to lose. "Why are you telling me all of this?" And it's all she can do to choke back the sob threatening to escape. She feels him stiffen, feels his hold tighten, just a bit, and she has no idea what he's going to say.

He pulls her closer, feels her heart pounding, her labored breathing. He closes his eyes and feels her shudder. "I can't not. I cannot marry her. I don't love her. She deserves someone who can love her. And I can't let you go. Not again." And she hears a strange sound.

"Kyouya…" she knows this can't end well. She knows his father will never stand for this. She knows that they are from two different worlds, that he needs someone who can play the charade. And she knows that he knows this, too. And that he is asking nothing of her, but at the same time, he is asking her for so much.

He knows what he's asking, what he's left unspoken.

"I…" he isn't sure he can say it aloud. Another tremble from her and he works it up anyhow. "I want you." He whispers, hesitant to continue. "I.. I cannot imagine a life without you in it. A life revolving around you." And he can breathe again. "I want you to be my wife, Haruhi. I couldn't have it any other way." And she couldn't be happy about this, not with the way he can feel her crumble.

She feels so.. different than she had two minutes ago. The weight has lifted off of her chest and she still feels crushed. She can't keep her tears in any longer and she's almost disgusted to hear her own sobs. Gods, she'd never even known she'd wanted this so badly. She honestly thought he'd marry that girl, settle down and then they would all be finished. They would visit with one another occasionally, and she could focus only on her life, her goals. They'd all have wives to worry over them, to keep them in line, and she would have herself, same as she always had. She didn't know if she'd be able to recover from this. She had no idea what to do. So she just held on tight and didn't let go and cried like it was the end of the world. And for her, it may well have been.


	3. Chapter 3 Tragic Endings

**Part III; Tragic Endings.**

_"So this is continuous happiness."_

He wakes to the feeling that he is still dreaming. The sunlight is barely noticeable through the drapes and he has one beautiful woman nestled in his arms with the most incredible expression on her face. She curled into herself with her head on his shoulder, one arm lazily wrapped around his back and a sweet little _happy_ smile on her face. She looks more relaxed than he can ever recall seeing her, and his arms fit around her in such a perfect way.

She feels a slight shift in her bed and slowly begins to come into consciousness. A feather light brush at her bangs startles her the rest of the way awake and she is flooded with the events of the previous night. It occurs to her, in the haze of flashing memories, that she shouldn't be dwelling on future what if's as much, and should possibly be concentrating on the fact that the boy.. no man, that she has loved for the entirety of her adult life has proposed to her. So she smiles up at him, finally allowing all of the emotions she has had buried for so damned long to show through, and she can feel his heart pounding. She ducks her head at the low chuckle and the quick brush of lips against her newly exposed brow.

**o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

They were married mere months after that fateful evening, with both fathers' blessings. The entire host club attended with their respective families in tow. It wasn't overly lavish, yet was one of the most beautiful and fitting weddings in the recent history of Japan. Ootori Enterprises flourished under the watchful care of the newly made Mr. And Mrs. and four beautiful children were brought into a brighter world.

Two years after the birth of their ninth grandchild, Kyouya held the hand of his still beautiful wife as she took her last breath. He had known it was coming, as she had told him hours before. That didn't lessen the utter agony he felt when her heart had grown still. When her hand went entirely limp and fell to the mattress, he lay down beside her and closed his eyes one final time. They had made vows, they had led a wonderful life, they had done all they had wanted and more. It was time for him to follow Haruhi to whatever awaited them.

Fin


End file.
